A US employee wide vaccine mandate was announced today. Final deadline is early december. No testing alternative and it applies to remote workers as well as those onsite. No jab no job. FYI to anyone who cares, either side. Specific company info is hard to find so this seems like a good venue for updates.
Cheers.
The SVP of Business Excellence strikes again but this time with an even more bogus job title.
6mpz,
They don't need to answer that question to know who the hypocrite here is. I'm guessing you are a "my body my choice" kinda person. Where are you now? Why are you not fighting this mandate? Why isn't every ab-----n advocate fighting this intrusion of our choice? Only when it fits your own bias I guess.
Seems like the fleas have flocked in here to gnash their gums about Seagate's vaccine plans. Seagate is not unique here. They are not even on the leading edge and when Microsoft set their mandate in August, it set the tide for the whole tech industry.
When OSHA completes the language for release, this is going to be the norm so either you get over your self-righteous entitlement and get a shot or start your own company. Everyone around me is very much in favor of the mandate and would rather not have to deal with anti-vaxxers in their midst.
@5qov+1djysfDY: Do you have the same opinion regarding a woman's right to choose to about pregnancy and make decisions about her body? If so - kudos; if not - you a hypocrite. Also - your understanding about vaccine efficacy is pretty thin and the fact that science is shades of grey not black and white.
Based on the employee survey, the number of employees impacted is likely 15% or more.
Seagate will need to follow the law for both religious and medical exemptions. Any missteps by the company will result in a class action lawsuit. Know your rights under US law.
So Seagate knows what is best for me and my family? You are welcome to let Seagate decide for you how to care for your body but this is a huge over reach of what they should have any control over. I am vaccinated and this rubs me wrong. Science is no longer playing any role in decision making here. When they discount natural immunity for those who have already had covid this is no longer about science. When they push for children to get vaccinated who are less at risk than adults who have been vaccinated this is no longer about science. When the vaccine itself is not preventing getting the virus and/or passing it along and they still are forcing people to get it this is no longer about science. We will be subject to boosters and vaccines for the rest of our lives unless we stand up and put a stop to this nonsense.
I'd like to think this board is mostly the conspiracy theorists, which are also usually the antivax. Hard to believe there'd be this level of ignoring science, data, and critical thinking within the company as a whole. But, given how some things have gone, maybe I shouldn't be surprised...
Full text:
U.S. Colleagues,
Since the start of the pandemic, Seagate’s leadership has made employee health and safety our number-one priority. In line with our values of integrity and inclusion, we’ve planned for and implemented such measures with thought and sensitivity for those responsible for operations onsite, as well as our temporary teleworkers and remote workforce.
Following recently announced federal requirements (see “Understanding Why the Requirement” section below), and in compliance with these regulations, a decision has been reached by Seagate senior leadership that we will require all U.S.-based employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide official documentation of their vaccination status. In compliance with this order, U.S.-based remote employees will need to comply with the requirement as well. Vaccination will be a condition of employment, unless an employee qualifies for an accommodation due to a medical disability or sincerely held religious belief, consistent with the federal and state law and Seagate practice.
“Fully vaccinated” means persons who are at least two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series (such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines) or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine).
Please be assured that keeping personal data private and secure with highly limited access is a primary factor in how we are implementing this process. Managers of U.S. employees have been informed of the requirement and key dates ahead and they will support employees in partnership with HR as needed. Please refer to Seagate’s Privacy Notice for more information.
Key Dates and Actions
The following dates allow for employees who are not vaccinated, or who are in the process of being vaccinated, to complete the vaccination and documentation process or to qualify for an accommodation before the legally mandated deadline of December 8, 2021.
With many companies having similar requirements, employees who are not yet vaccinated are encouraged to be prompt in starting the process, given potential longer wait times for vaccination appointments due to anticipated increased demand.
October 14 (today): The vaccine requirement is announced to all U.S. employees.
October 27: Deadline for any requests for an accommodation* for medical or religious reasons, along with all required documentation, to be submitted to HR Central.
Mid-November: An online process for U.S.-based employees to upload their proof of vaccination is expected to start. If necessary, assistance will be available to help those with barriers to online access.
December 1: Deadline for employees to show proof that they are/or will be “fully vaccinated” by December 8, 2021. This provides unvaccinated employees nearly six weeks to ensure they are fully vaccinated.
December 8: Badges will be turned off for employees without vaccine documentation or without an approved accommodation.
If after final review and verification that an employee is not in compliance with the vaccination requirement, managers will be notified and the employee will receive written confirmation of the date of their separation of employment from Seagate.
*U.S.-based employees who plan to seek a disability or religious accommodation from the mandatory vaccination policy should first review the “Medical Disability and Religious Accommodation Process” section of the U.S. Vaccines Requirement FAQ. And if still appropriate, complete the Accommodation Request Initiation Form , which will allow HR Central to forward the necessary forms based on the type of accommodation the employee is seeking. Employees should submit their completed request forms, along with any supplemental information, by October 27. HR will review the request and communicate a decision to employees regarding their request. If employees have questions about the accommodation process, they should email HR Central at hr.central.americas@seagate.com.
Understanding Why the Requirement
Vaccines Save Lives: Most people who have had serious health issues or lost their lives due to COVID-19 have been unvaccinated. Any of the vaccines that are approved and authorized in the U.S. to guard against COVID-19 may be used. Learn more.
Government Regulations: In addition to the soon-to-be released U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administrative (OSHA) Emergency Temporary Standard requirement announced by President Biden on September 9, a federal government executive order (EO 14042) will require companies that are federal contractors and subcontractors, such as Seagate, to ensure that employees be vaccinated for COVID-19, with no testing option.
The order requires employees who are working directly or indirectly on certain federal contracts/subcontracts to be vaccinated. It also requires that all employees at sites where applicable federally contracted work is conducted or to be vaccinated. Given that virtually all U.S. sites in some ways are involved in supporting federal contracts, or providing support as a subcontractor to our customers who are federal contractors, we are requiring vaccination of all U.S.-based employees, except those who request and are approved for an accommodation due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief that would prevent the employee from becoming vaccinated.
Why No Testing Option in Lieu of Vaccination: In alignment with the above federal executive order, we will not offer weekly testing as an alternative to proof-of-vaccination (except potentially in the case of an approved exemption as noted above).
Thank You
In the coming few weeks, we will provide more details on our requirements. And, if additional clarifications or regulations are issued by the U.S. government (federal or state), we will communicate and comply with those as well.
On behalf of the CEO direct staff, we thank you in advance for your understanding and, most importantly, your support.
Joan Motsinger
SVP, Business Sustainability and Transformation
Patricia Frost
SVP, HR, Internal Communications and Community Engagement
Kate Schuelke
SVP, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary
You guys are pathetic!!! For supposedly being a group of highly educated engineers and support staff, you act more like the knuckle-dragging QANON supporting base. What happened to your embrace of science, technology, and facts with supporting data? Yes - all the intelligent ones seemed to have moved on from good ole Seagate and we're left with the dead weight focused only on what benefits them.
@3nlp - Management change their minds on dime? Shocker! It's like they're willing to lie to you.
This is a RIF move where they save the severance. It's genius in a way.
I have started a new job search and will have my first two interviews Monday. After 20 years on the job. I am so disappointed in the leadership, especially after they said they would "not get in peoples chest" in the last all employee meeting. That was a quick 180. Agree with the other poster. In less than 18 months, I have gone from essential to Dec 8 is your last day.
Assuming only a small percentage of employees would ever participate in a "sick out" ... what employees would be in position to make Seagate stand up and take the most notice? I'm in IT so my impact would be limited. But I imagine if a bunch of wafer operators in NRM (or any group directly impacting water fab operations) took unscheduled sick time all at once, that could get some attention fast. Any other employee groups that could have an outsized impact?
They could have done the right thing and told the government you’re not getting any HDDs from us then. All it takes is Seagate and WD to stand up for rights and say No! Instead they took the cowards way and sold us out to tyranny. Remember.
I’m not getting it either and am thinking it may be time to depart. Retire early or just take some time off.
Too bad there's not a vaccine that will make HAMR work...
Sick out begins. Do it.
Sounds like the SVP of business excellence actually did something to make herself even more reviled...
You can say goodbye to all the quality folks that don't want the vax. They will easily find employment elsewhere. They won't be losing the ones they can afford to let go of like they would hope for.
I’m also healthy, take care of myself, not in any risk category, never planned to get the covid shot, but did get the covid virus and have lived to tell about it. 😯 That natural immunity is a taboo topic though. Based on the data, if there were enough of a compelling reason for me to be vaccinated, I certainly would. Case Fatality rate is hovering around 1% for those who tested positive for the virus, as a previous poster mentioned, but may be exponentially lower and certainly is lower for those of us younger and healthy people. Reinfection rates among those with natural immunity are also very, very low: under 1%. But I don’t think people actually care about the data. Instead it’s “well, what if your parent died of this, then you’d change your tune” or “I heard a ten year old died!” The focus should always have been be to protect the vulnerable and allow the rest of us to continue living life. But that is selfish, from what I’ve been told. I digress.
I worked in the office and also remotely before the pandemic. I’ve been 100% remote since the pandemic. My own manager told me that during a managers call about the mandate, he heard that “every company will be doing this -we are just ahead of many companies- and if employees leave, there will be no other companies they can go to” and that the OSHA emergency standard is not what they are following. It is the Presidents Executive Order which states all federal contractors must be vaccinated by Dec. 8. Also stated was that Seagate has Federal contracts, but it’s too difficult to differentiate who is working on these federal contracts (outside of the small Seagate Government Solutions team not sure?).
I am not getting the vaccine. I also survived several layoffs and years of what feels like a roller coaster of chaos at the end of every.single.quarter. I am sad to leave a great group of co-workers and friends behind, and enjoyed the technical challenges, but the negative outweighs the positive and it is time for me to go. They just made my decision for me.
And while “protecting all employees” maybe a mass departure is what they want? I would bet that employee survey about covid shed some light to decision makers on who/how many potential leavers they would have if they put in place this mandate. Voluntary-involuntary separations that cost $0.
Heck, it’s been a long time since the last layoff, hasn’t it?!
This requirement is different than those in the past for job required vaccines. Previous to this the employer was liable for any vaccine injury. OSHA recently removed that liability.
Where does it end. Covid is obviously not going anywhere. I suspect Seagate will force the jab every year in lieu of a layoff. It is cost effective. Don't comply ... No severance and no unemployment. Wow. Busted my hump and came in on the regular during the last 18 months. Gee thanks Seagate. Went from essential to don't let the door knob hit you on the way out.
Biggest pandemic in global history? More like biggest pandemic since WWII.
The Spanish flu went around the world twice and was far more lethal per capita. It had a 10% mortality rate if you caught it. Covid 19 has a less than 1% mortality rate, especially if you're less than 60.
It's a bit ridiculous. Where I work now you are either vaccinated or are tested once a week and we have far more employees. Seagate can test if they wanted to. I suspect they want to reduce headcount.
I don't get the fretting about the requirement. We lined up for shots at various times during elementary school. I was required to have many shots in the military. I am required to have shots to work in Thailand. But when faced with the biggest pandemic in our global history, some people feel the need to all of the sudden throw out all their lines about facism, bogus junk science, blah blah.
Read the very carefully crafted email and Q&A. I am disappointed in the Seagate leaderships decision. Some of you Seagate folk will respond to this post with a snarky remark. Some won't care. I have no plans on getting the jab. Have started my job search. If our government can mandate the jab, what else are you willing to comply with. Was a long term employee. Survived several layoffs, various reorgs, and have enjoyed every engineering moment. Looking to work for a small under 100 employee company that values loyalty.
Too bad, go find work somewhere else.
What do you mean "throwing out the bait"? There are legitimate reasons for not getting this vaccine. None of which should cost a person their job.
Crumb is throwing out the bait, don't bother responding.
I don't want anything to do with this vaccine. I'm healthy. There are therapeutics. The vaccine prevents neither getting it nor spreading it. Plus I'm quite certain I've already had covid. On top of that I'm 100% remote. I haven't seen my coworkers in person for 3 years. It might be time to find a new job.